Kangaroo Tour

Summary

Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France, tours to New Zealand and the one-off tour to Papua New Guinea (1991). The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain (sometimes called Northern Union or The Lions) and a number of tour matches. The 1911/12 and 1921/22 tours were by the Australasian Kangaroos as both teams included New Zealand players. Some Kangaroo tours to Great Britain and France also included international friendly matches against Wales, though these games were not given test match status.

The last full Kangaroo Tour was in 1994, although shortened Kangaroo Tours took place in 2001 and again in 2003.

Since 1954, the Kangaroos have also made a number of overseas tours for multi-team tournaments such as the World Cup, Tri-Nations and Four Nations, however these are not classed as Kangaroo tours.

Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France edit

1908/09 Kangaroo Tour edit

Northern Union vs. Australia edit

Northern Union 22–22 Australia Northern Union 15–5 Australia Northern Union 6–5 Australia

Played: 45
Won: 17 Drew: 6 Lost: 22
Ashes: Great Britain 2–0

1911/12 Kangaroo Tour edit

Northern Union vs. Australasia edit

Played: 35
Won: 28 Drew: 2 Lost: 5
Ashes: Australasia 2–0

1921/22 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australasia edit

Played: 36
Won: 27 Drew: 0 Lost: 9
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1929/30 Kangaroo Tour edit

The Lions vs. Australia edit

Played: 35
Won: 24 Drew: 2 Lost: 7
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1933/34 Kangaroo Tour edit

The Lions vs. Australia edit

Played: 37
Won: 27 Drew: 0 Lost: 10
Ashes: Great Britain 3–0

1937/38 Kangaroo Tour edit

The Lions vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 35
Won: 22 Drew: 1 Lost: 12
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1948/49 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 37
Won: 24 Drew: 0 Lost: 13
Ashes: Great Britain 3–0

1952/53 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 40
Won: 33 Drew: 1 Lost: 6
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1956/57 Kangaroo Tour edit

A record eleven Queenslanders were selected for this tour.[2]

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 28
Won: 18 Drew: 1 Lost: 9
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1959/60 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 24
Won: 15 Drew: 0 Lost: 9
Ashes: Great Britain 2–1

1963/64 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

The 1963 Kangaroos thus became the first Australian only side to win the Ashes on British soil.[3]

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 36
Won: 28 Drew: 1 Lost: 7
Ashes: Australia 2–1

1967/68 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 27
Won: 16 Drew: 2 Lost: 9
Ashes: Australia 2–1

1973 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 19
Won: 17 Drew: 0 Lost: 2
Ashes: Australia 2–1

1978 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 22
Won: 16 Drew: 0 Lost: 6
Ashes: Australia 2–1

1982 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 22
Won: 22 Drew: 0 Lost: 0
Ashes: Australia 3–0

The 1982 Kangaroos became the first team to go through Great Britain and France undefeated earning them the nickname The Invincibles.

1986 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 20
Won: 20 Drew: 0 Lost: 0
Ashes: Australia 3–0

Emulating the 1982 Kangaroo tour, the 1986 Kangaroos went through Great Britain and France undefeated earning them the nickname The Unbeatables.

1990 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 18
Won: 17 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Ashes: Australia 2–1

1994 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

France vs. Australia edit

Played: 18
Won: 17 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Ashes: Australia 2–1

2001 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

Played: 3
Won: 2 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Ashes: Australia 2–1

2003 Kangaroo Tour edit

Great Britain vs. Australia edit

Played: 6
Won: 6 Drew: 0 Lost: 0
Ashes: Australia 3–0

Kangaroo tour of New Zealand edit

1919 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 9
Won: 8 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Australia 3–1

1935 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 6
Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Australia 2–1

1949 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 10
Won: 9 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Draw 1–1

1953 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 9
Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 2
Trans-Tasman series: New Zealand 2–1

1961 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 9
Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 2
Trans-Tasman series: Draw 1–1

1965 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 8
Won: 7 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Draw 1–1

1969 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 6
Won: 4 Drew: 0 Lost: 2
Trans-Tasman series: Draw 1–1

1971 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 3
Won: 1 Drew: 0 Lost: 2
Trans-Tasman series: New Zealand 1–0

1980 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 7
Won: 5 Drew: 1 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Australia 2–0

1985 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 6
Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Australia 2–1

1989 edit

New Zealand vs. Australia edit

Played: 6
Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 1
Trans-Tasman series: Australia 3–0

Kangaroo tour of Papua New Guinea edit

1991 edit

Papua New Guinea vs. Australia edit

Played: 5
Won: 5 Drew: 0 Lost: 0
Test series: Australia 2–0

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ England snatches victory in last two minutes (1934-01-15) the Courier-Mail
  2. ^ John MacDonald and Ian Arnold (29 June 1989). "Kangaroos fly the Maroon flag". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. p. 50. Retrieved 21 February 2011.
  3. ^ "1963 Kangaroos Team | Sport Australia Hall of Fame".

Further reading edit

  • Heads, Ian (1990). The Kangaroos: the saga of Rugby League's great tours. Lester-Townsend Publishing. ISBN 978-0-949853-39-4.

External links edit

  • Kangaroo Legs